The 2025-26 testing data for Sampson County Schools was presented to the Board of Education Tuesday morning during a regular work session.
A total of 82.4% of Sampson County Schools earned an A, B or C letter grade, the system’s superintendent told school board members.
“When you compare that to the state average, there are 77% of schools making a letter grade of A, B, or C,” Superintendent Dr. Jamie King explained to the board.
The presentation showed that Sampson County Schools tested above the state average for academic proficiency overall in high school grades 9-12 and math for grades 3-4.
Elementary schools experienced overall gains in reading, math and science, with 5.1, 2.7 and 11.5 percentage-point gains, respectively.
Middle schools saw an overall 0.7 percentage-point loss in math but gained 3.3 percentage points in reading and 12.9 percentage points in science.
High schools rose 1.4 percentage points overall in English II and 5.8 percentage points in Math 1 while dropping 3 percentage points in Math 3. High schools also went up 9.4 percentage points in biology.
“One thing I will say,” King pointed out to the school board members, “is that you cannot average averages.”
The percentages come from all of the students who are enrolled in each course.
“If more students take that test, that percentage might weigh heavier when you put them all together,” King emphasized, reiterating that “averages can’t be averaged.”
Salemburg Elementary School was the only elementary school to exceed growth.
The lowest-performing elementary school was Union Intermediate School with a letter grade of D, although the school still met its expected growth. Midway Elementary School was the only elementary school that did not meet growth.
Hobbton Middle School and Midway Middle School each met expected growth.
“We had two middle schools that did not meet growth,” King added. “Roseboro-Salemburg Middle and Union Middle School.”
Lakewood High School and Sampson Early College School both exceeded growth expectations. Hobbton High School and Midway High School each met growth expectations.
“One high school did not meet growth,” King said, referring to Union High School.
“Overall, we are outperforming the state average,” the superintendent said. “Now, is that good enough? No, we want all of our schools to be A’s, B’s, or C’s, but it’s good kind of just seeing that we’re making progress and moving in the right direction.”